Semiconductor Tariffs Could Spell the End of Semi-Affordable Console Gaming for the Foreseeable Future

So, remember late last week when we talked about how prices could jump and the availability of games could plummet due to tariffs? It may be time to lock in on your console of choice and purchase it before the next set hit. With a tariff plan of up to 100% on semiconductors and chips from Taiwan, we might have to hit the reset button on our gaming plans for a little while. If you thought $700 for a PS5 Pro was bad, I hate to see what that same console could look like a few months down the line.

If You’re Planning on Building a PC Any Time Soon, Do It Before ThEse Tariffs Hit

Originally reported on by PCMag, it appears Donald Trump is planning on implementing a tariff on semiconductors imported from Taiwan. However, in his speech, he mentions this tariff would be “25%, 50%, or maybe 100%” over the original cost. Also included in this plan would be pharmaceuticals. According to the President, this encourages making semiconductors on American soil, rather than relying on imports. However, this means one thing in particular; the price of electronics is going to skyrocket if this happens.

PC parts, both gaming-level and consumer-level, are going to jump. With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon, the price of entry may be far more than we are hoping it would be. Tariffs only really affect one group of people, being the consumer. So if you’ve been wanting to pull the trigger on that new RTX 5080 or a PS5 Pro, now may be the time.

BREAKING: President Trump announces the U.S. will be placing tariffs on all semi-conductors and pharmaceuticals imported from 🇹🇼Taiwan in the very near future pic.twitter.com/KGbMbT3tLd

— Financelot (@FinanceLancelot) January 27, 2025

Gaming, in particular, has been seeing a pretty steady decline in profits since 2021. I don’t think that this is going to make things any better. And for the uninitiated, semiconductors are used in many things we use daily. Including, but not limited to:

• Televisions
• Cars/Trucks
• Personal Computers
• Mobile Phones/Smartphones
• Advanced Medical Care

So, while our favorite hobby is about to get eviscerated, there are plenty of other reasons to be concerned about this, too. Let’s just hope that, for our own sake, a 25% increase is the highest we’ll see.